Acts 24:5
in Acts 24We have found this man to be a pestilence, stirring up dissension among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of insurrections among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes:
KJV
For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes:
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This verse in Acts 24
Commentary
9 notes on this verseTo be numbered among the Nazarenes was a matter of disgrace; therefore Tertullus was demeaning Paul from this angle as well, since Nazareth was an insignificant city. He calls the Nazarenes heretics, as though such a sect also existed among the Jews. But Tertullus was …
This site's exposition
a pestilent fellow
on Acts 24:5-6
The formal charges are three, sedition across the empire, leadership of the sect of the Nazarenes, and profaning the temple, the last being the only charge that could carry a death sentence under the standing Roman permission for Jews to execute temple violators (compare 21:28-29). Calling the followers of Jesus the sect of the Nazarenes is among the earliest outside references in Acts to a name later used of the whole movement, evidence Luke preserves a genuinely early stage of Christian self-identification through hostile lips. None of the three charges can actually be proven, as Paul's own defense will show point by point.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
Notwithstanding, that I be not further tedious unto thee, I pray thee that thou wouldest hear us of thy clemency a few words. For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world. As a revolutionary and seditious person he wishes to deliver him up. And yet, it might be answered, it is ye that have done this. And see how he would put up the judge to a desire of punishing, seeing he had here an opportunity to coerce the man that turned the world upside down! As if they had achieved a meritorious action, they make much of it: Having found this fellow, a mover of sedition, say they, among all the Jews throughout the world. Had he been such, they would have proclaimed him as a benefactor and saviour of the nation! And a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. They thought this likely to tell as a reproach - of the Nazarenes: and by this also they seek to damage him - for Nazareth was a mean place. And, we have found him, say they: see how maliciously they calumniate him: found him, as if he had been always giving them the slip, and with difficulty they had succeeded in getting him: though he had been seven days in the Temple!
The Medieval Church1 voice
And the author of the sedition of the sect of the Nazarenes. At that time Christians were called Nazarenes as a reproach; later indeed among the Jews a heresy arose called that of the Nazarenes, who believe in Christ, the Son of God, born of …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
For we have found this man a pestilent fellow,.... Pointing to Paul, the prisoner at the bar; the word here used signifies the "pest" or "plague" itself; and it was usual with orators among the Romans, when they would represent a man as a very wicked man, as dangerous to the state, and unworthy to live in it, to call him the pest of the city, or of the country, or of the empire, as may be observed in several places in Cicero's Orations.
When Cyprian was condemned to die for being a Christian, this was inserted in hi sentence, that he was auctor iniqui nominis et signifer--The author and standard-bearer of a wicked cause. Now it was true that Paul was an active leading man in propagating Christianity.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
We have found this man a pestilent fellow - λοιμὸν loimon This word is commonly applied to a plague or pestilence, and then to a man who corrupts the morals of others, or who is turbulent, and an exciter of sedition. Our translation somewhat weakens the force of the original expression. Tertullus did not say that he was a pestilent fellow, but that he was the very pestilence itself. In this he referred to their belief that he had been the cause of extensive disturbances everywhere among the Jews. And a mover of sedition - An exciter of tumult.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
a pestilent fellow--a plague, or pest. and a mover of sedition among all the Jews--by exciting disturbances among them. throughout the world--(See on Lu 2:1). This was the first charge; and true only in the sense explained on Ac 16:20. a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes--the second charge; and true enough.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
For we have found this man, etc. - Here the proposition of the orator commences. He accuses Paul, ant his accusation includes four particulars: - 1. He is a pest, λοιμος; an exceedingly bad and wicked man. 2. He excites disturbances and seditions against the Jews. 3. He is the chief of the sect of the Nazarenes, who are a very bad people, and should not be tolerated. 4. He has endeavored to pollute and profane the temple, and we took him in the fact. A pestilent fellow - The word λοιμος, pestis - the plague or pestilence, is used by both Greek and Roman authors to signify a very bad and profligate man; we have weakened the force of the word by translating the substantive adjectively. Tertullus did not say that Paul was a pestilent fellow, but he said that he was the very pestilence itself. As in that of Martial, xi. 92: - Non vitiosus homo es, Zoile, sed vitium. “Thou art not a vicious man, O Zoilus, but thou art vice itself.” The words λοιμος, and pestis, are thus frequently used. - See Wetstein, Bp. Pearce, and Kypke. A mover of sedition - Instead of Ϛασιν, sedition, ABE, several others, with the Coptic, Vulgate, Chrysostom, Theophylact, and Oecumenius, read Ϛασεις, commotions, which is probably the true reading. Among all the Jews - Bp. Pearce contends that the words should be understood thus - one that stirreth up tumults Against all the Jews; for, if they be understood otherwise, Tertullus may be considered as accusing his countrymen, as if they, at Paul’s instigation, were forward to make insurrections every where. On the contrary, he wishes to represent them as a persecuted and distressed people, by means of Paul and his Nazarenes. A ringleader - Πρωτοστατην. […]
The words behind it
22 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| εὑρόντες | heurontes | Having found | G2147 → | 175 times |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| τὸν | ton | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἄνδρα | andra | man | G435 → | 216 times |
| τοῦτον | touton | this | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| λοιμὸν | loimon | a pest | G3061 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| κινοῦντα | kinounta | stirring | G2795 → | 8 times |
| στάσεις | staseis | insurrections | G4714 → | 9 times |
| πᾶσιν | pasin | among all | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| τοῖς | tois | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Ἰουδαίοις | ioudaiois | Jews | G2453 → | 192 times |
| τοῖς | tois | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κατὰ | kata | in | G2596 → | 468 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| οἰκουμένην | oikoumenen | world | G3625 → | 15 times |
| πρωτοστάτην | protostaten | a leader | G4414 → | |
| τε | te | then | G5037 → | 213 times |
| τῆς | tes | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| τῶν | ton | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Ναζωραίων | nazoraion | Nazarenes | G3480 → | 13 times |
| αἱρέσεως· | haireseos | sect; | G139 → | 9 times |
εὑρόντεςHaving found
heurontesG2147 →175 times
γὰρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
τὸν<the>
tonG3588 →19766 times
ἄνδραman
andraG435 →216 times
τοῦτονthis
toutonG3778 →1381 times
λοιμὸνa pest
loimonG3061 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
κινοῦνταstirring
kinountaG2795 →8 times
στάσειςinsurrections
staseisG4714 →9 times
πᾶσινamong all
pasinG3956 →1235 times
τοῖςthe
toisG3588 →19766 times
ἸουδαίοιςJews
ioudaioisG2453 →192 times
τοῖς<the>
toisG3588 →19766 times
κατὰin
kataG2596 →468 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
οἰκουμένηνworld
oikoumenenG3625 →15 times
πρωτοστάτηνa leader
protostatenG4414 →
τεthen
teG5037 →213 times
τῆςof the
tesG3588 →19766 times
τῶνof the
tonG3588 →19766 times
ΝαζωραίωνNazarenes
nazoraionG3480 →13 times
αἱρέσεως·sect;
haireseosG139 →9 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Acts 21:28crying out, “Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who teaches everywhere against our people and against our law and against this place. Furthermore, he has brought Greeks into the temple and…
it leads to
- Acts 24:5–6
We have found this man to be a pestilence, stirring up dissension among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes,
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Acts 24:5–6
Through
Acts 28:22But we consider your views worth hearing, because we know that people everywhere are speaking against this sect.”
it leads to
- Acts 24:14
I do confess to you, however, that I worship the God of our fathers according to the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that is laid down by the Law and…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Peter 2:12
Conduct yourselves with such honor among the Gentiles that, though they slander you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us.
- Acts 24:14
Through
Acts 24:14I do confess to you, however, that I worship the God of our fathers according to the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that is laid down by the Law and…
it leads to
- Acts 9:2
and requested letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any men or women belonging to the Way, he could bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem.
- Romans 3:21
But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, as attested by the Law and the Prophets.
- Acts 3:13
The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus. You handed Him over and rejected Him before Pilate, even though he had decided to release Him.
- Acts 9:2
Through
Acts 15:5But some believers from the party of the Pharisees stood up and declared, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses.”
it leads to
- Galatians 5:1–3
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be encumbered once more by a yoke of slavery.
- Galatians 5:1–3
Through
Acts 26:5They have known me for a long time and can testify, if they are willing, that I lived as a Pharisee, adhering to the strictest sect of our religion.
it leads to
- Acts 23:6
Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee. It is because of my hope in…
- Acts 23:6
About Acts
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Acts; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 50; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Lightfoot, Horae Hebraicae et Talmudicae; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.